APPLIED RADIOLOGICAL ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -Human vertebrae increase in size from the neck to the lower back due to increased weight bearing. Spinous processes show little variation in length, are often bifurcated in cervical vertebrae, and tend to be sharp and point inferiorly in thoracic vertebrae.

Detailed explanation-2: -The lumbar vertebrae are the largest and carry most of the body’s weight. This region allows more range of motion than the thoracic spine, but less than the cervical. Lumbar facet joints enable significant flexion and extension movement, but limits rotation.

Detailed explanation-3: -Superior view. Lumbar, Cervical The large size is not necessary in the inferior regions because the spinal cord becomes smaller in diameter (tapers like a carrot) as it moves inferiorly. This occurs because the spinal nerves are leaving it at each intervertebral foramen.

Detailed explanation-4: -The reason behind the enlargement of the cervical region is because of the increased neural input and output to the upper limbs. An analogous region in the lower limbs occurs at the lumbar enlargement.